2023 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup qualification (UEFA)

The 2023 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup European Qualifiers was a beach soccer tournament contested by European beach soccer national teams who are members of UEFA. The tournament decided the four qualifiers that will go to the 2023 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup in the United Arab Emirates. This event took place from 2–9 July in Baku, Azerbaijan.[1] The tournament was multi-stage, consisting of a pre-qualifier, final group stage round, and a knockout stage with placement matches.

2023 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup qualification (UEFA)
FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Qualifier – Europe – Baku 2023
Tournament details
Host countryAzerbaijan
CityBaku
Dates2–9 July
Teams20 (from 1 confederation)
Venue(s)1 (in 1 host city)
Final positions
Champions
Tournament statistics
Matches played45
Goals scored339 (7.53 per match)
Top scorer(s)Germany Olli Romrig
(10 goals)
2021
2025

Spain were the defending champions of the tournament after winning the 2021 edition, but were unable to defend their title as they lost in the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup play-offs to Italy. There were no semifinals and finals, unlike in 2021; the tournament concluded after the quarterfinals, the winners of which earned UEFA's four bids to the 2023 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup. These bids were won by Italy, Belarus, Ukraine, and Portugal. Olli Romrig of Germany finished as the leading goalscorer with ten goals, ahead of Denmark's Axel Damm and Switzerland's Noël Ott, both of whom finished runners-up with seven goals.

Format edit

The competition will begin with a pre-qualifier stage[2] from July 2 – July 4.

The final stage will be held from July 5 – July 9.[3]

The 16 teams will be split into four groups of four. Teams will three points for a win in normal time, two points for a win in extra-time, and one point for a win on penalties. The top two finishers in each group will go through to the knockout phase. Thereafter, quarter-finals, semi-finals, a third-place play-off and final will unfold. [4]

Teams edit

The following countries are competing in the European qualifiers either by achieving a position in the Beach Soccer World Rankings or by qualifying from the preliminaries, held from 2 to 4 July.[5]

Notes:
1. Pre-qualifier teams

Pre-qualifier teams edit

In the Qualifiers for the remaining three places in the European Qualifiers will take part:[6]

Draw edit

The draw for both the pre-qualifier stage and final stage were held on 15 June 2023.[7]

First group stage edit

Each team earns three points for a win in regulation time, two points for a win in extra time, one point for a win in a penalty shoot-out, and no points for a defeat.

All times are local, AZT (UTC+4).

Group A edit

Pos Team Pld W W+ WP L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1   Denmark 2 2 0 0 0 10 2 +8 6 Second group stage
2   Greece 2 1 0 0 1 7 4 +3 3
3   Norway 2 0 0 0 2 2 13 −11 0
Source: BSWW
Norway  1–7  Denmark
  • Li   29'
Report
  • Ryding   5', 17'
  • Madsen   16'
  • Damm   26', 27', 28'
  • Rædkjær   33'
Referee: Ingilab Mammadov (Azerbaijan)

Greece  1–3  Denmark
  • Tsitsaris   18'
Report
  • Madsen   21'
  • Dorph   22'
  • Frandsen   28'
Referee: Francisco de Oses Bumedien (Spain)

Norway  1–6  Greece
  • K. Badivuku   18'
Report
  • Skourtas   4', 25'
  • Mikelatos   9', 12'
  • Katsoulis   29'
  • Koukovinis   36'
Referee: Luca Romani (Italy)

Group B edit

Pos Team Pld W W+ WP L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1   Lithuania 3 3 0 0 0 11 5 +6 9 Second group stage
2   Czech Republic 3 2 0 0 1 9 6 +3 6
3   Sweden 3 1 0 0 2 9 10 −1 3
4   Malta 3 0 0 0 3 4 12 −8 0
Source: BSWW
Czech Republic  3–1  Sweden
  • Radosta   16', 29'
  • Huráb   23'
Report
  • Lavah   20'
Referee: Vladimir Tashkov (Bulgaria)
Malta  0–3  Lithuania
Report
  • Plytnikas   13'
  • Bartosevič   24'
  • Giedraitis   25'
Referee: Sergio Filipe Gomes Soares (Portugal)

Czech Republic  4–2  Malta
  • Salak   3'
  • Radosta   5'
  • Pekárek   20'
  • Karpíšek   24'
Report
  • Agius   3'
  • Radosta   8' (o.g.)
Referee: Murat Ergin Gozutok (Turkey)
Lithuania  5–3  Sweden
  • Plytnikas   2', 12', 13', 23'
  • Makutunovičius   8'
Report
  • Malmström   2'
  • Gustafsson   8'
  • Hjerpebo   29'
Referee: Ingilab Mammadov (Azerbaijan)

Sweden  5–2  Malta
  • Garcia   7', 33'
  • Gustafsson   11'
  • Palmén   25', 28'
Report
  • D. Caruana   9'
  • Agius   13'
Referee: Eduards Borisevics (Latvia)
Lithuania  3–2  Czech Republic
  • Makutunovičius   5', 23'
  • Navickas   11'
Report
  • Trampota   34'
  • Trampota   36'
Referee: Lukasz Ostrowski (Poland)

Second group stage edit

As per the regulations of the second group stage draw, the statistically best qualifier from the first group stage was automatically allocated to position B3; this was Lithuania.

The other three qualifiers (Group A, Group B and the best runner-up) were placed into the groups via a draw, made after the conclusion of the first group stage. All four teams were placed in one pot. The first team drawn out was placed into Group A, second into B and so on; they were allocated to position 4 in their respective groups.

Group A edit

Pos Team Pld W W+ WP L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1   Italy 3 3 0 0 0 9 4 +5 9 Knockout stage
2   Moldova 3 2 0 0 1 10 7 +3 6
3   Estonia 3 1 0 0 2 10 13 −3 3 9th–12th place play-offs
4   Azerbaijan (H) 3 0 0 0 3 8 13 −5 0 13th–16th place play-offs
Source: BSWW
(H) Host
Italy  3–1  Estonia
  • Zurlo   14'
  • Casapieri   15'
  • Sciacca   31'
Report
  • Munskind   14'
Referee: Lukasz Ostrowski (Poland)

Azerbaijan  2–3  Moldova
  • Elchin   8'
  • Kamran   33'
Report
  • Turta   4'
  • Ignat   8'
  • Graur   28'
Referee: Vitalij Gomolko (Lithuania)

Italy  3–1  Moldova
  • Fazzini   11'
  • Bertacca   22'
  • Genovali   36'
Report
  • Schițenco   2'
Referee: Mehdi Sayoud (Belgium)

Azerbaijan  4–7  Estonia
  • F. Huseynov   4'
  • Orkhan   11'
  • Elshad   21', 31'
Report
  • Rump   3', 15', 21'
  • Mäeorg   4'
  • Lepik   9'
  • Marmor   14'
  • Nõmmiko   27'
Referee: Malte Gerhardt (Germany)

Estonia  2–6  Moldova
  • Lepik   6'
  • Marmor   23'
Report
  • Sîrghi   6', 35'
  • Istrati   13'
  • Podlesnov   21'
  • Graur   23'
  • Turta   29'
Referee: Sergio Filipe Gomes Soares (Portugal)

Azerbaijan  2–3  Italy
  • Ramil   11'
  • Miceli   17' (o.g.)
Report
  • Miceli   4'
  • Remedi   9'
  • Zurlo   18'
Referee: Eduards Borisevics (Latvia)

Group B edit

Pos Team Pld W W+ WP L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1   Ukraine 3 2 1 0 0 11 6 +5 8 Knockout stage
2   Spain 3 2 0 0 1 14 8 +6 6
3   Poland 3 1 0 0 2 7 8 −1 3 9th–12th place play-offs
4   Lithuania 3 0 0 0 3 4 14 −10 0 13th–16th place play-offs
Source: BSWW
Poland  3–1  Lithuania
  • Gac   14'
  • Gruszewski   21', 35'
Report
  • Makutunovičius   15'
Referee: Ingilab Mammadov (Azerbaijan)

Spain  3–4 (a.e.t.)  Ukraine
  • David   5', 9'
  • Dona   11'
Report
  • Guisado   2' (o.g.)
  • Nerush   4'
  • Voitok   18', 37'
Referee: Saverio Bottalico (Italy)

Ukraine  3–2  Poland
  • Levchenko   9'
  • A. Borsuk   21'
  • Zborovskyi   34'
Report
  • Los   17'
  • Gac   25'
Referee: Csaba Baghy (Hungary)

Spain  7–2  Lithuania
  • Pedro   3'
  • Plytnikas   16' (o.g.)
  • David   17'
  • Antonio   18'
  • Arias   21'
  • Batis   29', 34'
Report
  • Navickas   2'
  • Makutunovičius   20'
Referee: Vladimir Tashkov (Bulgaria)

Ukraine  4–1  Lithuania
  • Pashko   1'
  • Zavorotnyi   4'
  • Zborovskyi   16'
  • A. Borsuk   18'
Report
  • Giedraitis   6'
Referee: Ozcan Sultanoglu (Turkey)

Spain  4–2  Poland
  • Chicky   12', 19', 23'
  • Pedro   21'
Report
  • Oliver   5' (o.g.)
  • Brochocki   20'
Referee: Malte Gerhardt (Germany)

Group C edit

Pos Team Pld W W+ WP L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1   Portugal 3 3 0 0 0 20 10 +10 9 Knockout stage
2   France 3 2 0 0 1 13 13 0 6
3   Germany 3 1 0 0 2 17 15 +2 3 9th–12th place play-offs
4   Greece 3 0 0 0 3 6 18 −12 0 13th–16th place play-offs
Updated to match(es) played on unknown. Source: BSWW
France  5–3  Greece
  • Bru   5'
  • Angeletti   8', 17', 23'
  • Varrel   32'
Report
  • Skourtas   9'
  • Triantafyllidis   10'
  • Mikelatos   22'
Referee: Francisco de Oses Bumedien (Spain)

Portugal  8–6  Germany
  • Torres   12'
  • R. Brilhante   18', 19'
  • Léo Martins   27', 36'
  • Coimbra   28'
  • Jordan   34'
  • M. Pintado   34'
Report
  • Olli   9', 36'
  • Lüth   14'
  • Peterson   23'
  • Biermann   24'
  • Petry   31'
Referee: Ozcan Sultanoglu (Turkey)

Germany  8–2  Greece
  • Biermann   2', 7', 14', 26'
  • Olli   18', 25'
  • Engelhardt   20'
  • Peterson   35'
Report
  • Biermann   14' (o.g.)
  • Karakasis   22'
Referee: Vitalij Gomolko (Lithuania)

Portugal  7–3  France
  • Fayos   4' (o.g.)
  • Jordan   10'
  • Andrade   19'
  • Coimbra   22', 36'
  • M. Pintado   24'
  • Bernardo   25'
Report
  • Bru   5', 17'
  • Barbotti   9'
Referee: Luca Romani (Italy)

Germany  3–5  France
  • Biermann   4'
  • Lüth   12'
  • Olli   35'
Report
  • Barbotti   10', 24'
  • Varrel   12', 28'
  • Segura   32'
Referee: Lukasz Ostrowski (Poland)

Portugal  5–1  Greece
  • B. Martins   17', 20'
  • Jordan   20'
  • R. Pinhal   27'
  • Bernardo   34'
Report
  • Tsitsaris   30'
Referee: Ago Kärtmann (Estonia)

Group D edit

Pos Team Pld W W+ WP L GF GA GD Pts
1   Belarus 3 3 0 0 0 27 10 +17 9 Knockout stage
2   Denmark 3 2 0 0 1 12 14 −2 6
3   Turkey 3 1 0 0 2 9 19 −10 3 9th–12th place play-offs
4    Switzerland 3 0 0 0 3 10 15 −5 0 13th–16th place play-offs
Source: BSWW
Belarus  10–2  Turkey
  • Recep   5' (o.g.)
  • Hardzetski   9', 13'
  • Ustsinovich   17'
  • Bryshtsel   17', 23'
  • Hapon   22'
  • Bokach   33', 35'
  • Piatrouski   33'
Report
  • Mehmet   25'
  • Efe Lorenzo   28'
Referee: Sergio Filipe Gomes Soares (Portugal)

Denmark  3–2   Switzerland
  • Madsen   29', 31'
  • Frandsen   32'
Report
  • Frandsen   5' (o.g.)
  • Stankovic   12'
Referee: Vladimir Tashkov (Bulgaria)

Belarus  8–2  Denmark
  • Hapon   2', 21', 33', 35'
  • Drozd   8'
  • Novikau   19'
  • Staskevich   21'
  • Piatrouski   23'
Report
  • Frandsen   6'
  • Damm   8'
Referee: Nail Naghiyev (Azerbaijan)

Switzerland  2–3  Turkey
  • Hodel   10', 23'
Report
  • Cem Keskin   6', 32'
  • Volkan   31'
Referee: Ago Kärtmann (Estonia)

Turkey  4–7  Denmark
  • Mehmet   2'
  • Cem Keskin   3', 6', 15'
Report
  • Wegeberg   5'
  • Damm   7', 9'
  • Madsen   7'
  • Rædkjær   10'
  • Dorph   11'
Referee: Saverio Bottalico (Italy)

Switzerland  6–9  Belarus
  • Kessler   9'
  • Rüttimann   12'
  • Ott   14', 16'
  • Steinemann   23'
  • Bokach   23' (o.g.)
Report
  • Mahaletski   15'
  • Bokach   19'
  • Ryabko   23', 23', 32'
  • Bryshtsel   25', 35'
  • Kanstantsinau   29'
  • Hardzetski   35'
Referee: Francisco de Oses Bumedien (Spain)

13th–16th place play-offs edit

The teams finishing in fourth place in the groups of the second group stage faced each other in consolation matches to determine 13th through 16th place in the final standings.

 
13th–16th place semi-finals13th place match
 
      
 
8 July
 
 
   Switzerland (a.e.t.)6
 
9 July
 
  Greece 5
 
   Switzerland 6 (4)
 
8 July
 
  Azerbaijan (p)6 (5)
 
  Azerbaijan 3
 
 
  Lithuania 2
 
15th place match
 
 
9 July
 
 
  Lithuania (p)4 (6)
 
 
  Greece 4 (5)

Semi-finals edit

Switzerland  6–5 (a.e.t.)  Greece
Report
Referee: Lukasz Ostrowski (Poland)
Azerbaijan  3–2  Lithuania
Report
Referee: Saverio Bottalico (Italy)

15th place match edit

Lithuania  4–4 (a.e.t.)  Greece
  • Navickas   4', 20', 24'
  • Makutunovičius   32'
Report
  • Mikelatos   3'
  • Tsiakalos   6'
  • Koukovinis   27'
  • Paloumpis   29'
Penalties
6–5
Referee: Ozcan Sultanoglu (Turkey)

13th place match edit

Switzerland  6–6 (a.e.t.)  Azerbaijan
  • Ott   4', 21', 22', 30', 36'
  • Steinemann   10'
Report
  • Elshad   1', 19'
  • Jomard   8'
  • Ramil   17', 27'
  • Orkhan   32'
Penalties
4–5
Referee: Ago Kärtmann (Estonia)

9th–12th place play-offs edit

The teams finishing in third place in the groups of the second group stage faced each other in consolation matches to determine 9th through 12th place in the final standings.

 
9th–12th place semi-finals9th place match
 
      
 
8 July
 
 
  Germany 4 (4)
 
9 July
 
  Turkey (p)4 (5)
 
  Turkey (p)3 (4)
 
8 July
 
  Estonia 3 (3)
 
  Estonia (a.e.t.)5
 
 
  Poland 4
 
11th place match
 
 
9 July
 
 
  Poland 8
 
 
  Germany 6

Semi-finals edit

Germany  4–4 (a.e.t.)  Turkey
  • Olli   18', 30'
  • Widmann   21', 34'
Report
  • Yasin   6'
  • Emrah   16', 32'
  • İsmail   28'
Penalties
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
4–5
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
Referee: Sergio Filipe Gomes Soares (Portugal)
Estonia  5–4 (a.e.t.)  Poland
  • Er. Stüf   2'
  • Lepik   7'
  • Rump   11'
  • Anissimov   29'
  • Marmor   39'
Report
  • Popławski   2'
  • Lisowski   4'
  • Jesionowski   33', 35'
Referee: Luca Romani (Italy)

11th place match edit

Poland  8–6  Germany
  • Jesionowski   10'
  • Witkowski   15', 23', 32'
  • Gac   18'
  • Bistuła   19'
  • Ziober   20'
  • Kłopeć   25'
Report
  • Olli   4', 7', 8'
  • Widmann   17'
  • Engelhardt   26'
  • Lüth   34'
Referee: Francisco de Oses Bumedien (Spain)

9th place match edit

Turkey  3–3 (a.e.t.)  Estonia
  • Nõmmiko   3' (o.g.)
  • Serkan   14', 14'
Report
  • Marmor   3'
  • Lepik   11', 34'
Penalties
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
4–3
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
Referee: Eduards Borisevics (Latvia)

FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup play-offs edit

Winners will qualify for 2023 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup.

Belarus  3–1  France
  • Bryshtsel   14', 18'
  • Novikau   35'
Report
  • Bru   2'
Referee: Saverio Bottalico (Italy)
Portugal  8–3  Denmark
  • Jordan   3'
  • Coimbra   4', 24'
  • Léo Martins   13', 23', 27'
  • Pinhal   19'
  • Martins   28'
Report
  • Frandsen   3'
  • Damm   14'
  • Rædkjær   17'
Referee: Luca Romani (Italy)
Ukraine  5–2  Moldova
  • Zborovskyi   2'
  • Poslavskyi   22'
  • Pashko   25'
  • Voitenko   27'
  • Nerush   29'
Report
  • Podlesnov   5'
  • Graur   23'
Referee: Lukasz Ostrowski (Poland)
Italy  4–3 (a.e.t.)  Spain
  • Bertacca   1'
  • Remedi   11', 16'
  • Zurlo   39'
Report
  • David   18'
  • Chicky   28'
  • Guisado   32'
Referee: Sergio Filipe Gomes Soares (Portugal)

Statistics edit

Goalscorers edit

There were 339 goals scored in 45 matches, for an average of 7.53 goals per match.

10 goals

  •   Olli Romrig

7 goals

6 goals

  •   Ihar Bryshtsel
  •   Christian Biermann
  •   Mantas Makutunovičius

5 goals

  •   Aleh Hapon
  •   Gustav Madsen
  •   Audrius Plytnikas
  •   Rui Coimbra
  •   Léo Martins
  •   Cem Keskin

4 goals

  •   Elshad Manafov
  •   Ramil Aliyev
  •   Lukas Frandsen
  •   Sander Lepik
  •   Jérémy Bru
  •   Dimitrios Alexandros Mikelatos
  •   Elvinas Navickas
  •   Jordan Santos
  •   Salvador Chicky
  •   David Ardil Navarro
  •   Tobias Steinemann

3 goals

  •   Orkhan Mammadov
  •   Vadzim Bokach
  •   Yahor Hardzetski
  •   Anatoliy Ryabko
  •   David Radosta
  •   Henrik Rædkjær
  •   Kristian Marmor
  •   Ragnar Rump
  •   Victor Angeletti
  •   Anthony Barbotti
  •   Kylian Varrel
  •   Cristoph Lüth
  •   Ioannis Skourtas
  •   Konstantinos Tsitsaris
  •   Alessandro Remedi
  •   Emmanuele Zurlo
  •   Dumitru Graur
  •   Filip Gac
  •   Jakub Jesionowski
  •   Michal Witkowski
  •   Bernardo Santos Martins
  •   Oleg Zborovskyi

2 goals

  •   Yauheni Novikau
  •   Yuri Piatrouski
  •   Casper Dorph
  •   Ryding Klaus Bradt Dewaegenaere
  •   Kristian Marmor
  •   Tim Engelhardt
  •   Jannes Peterson
  •   Felix Widmann
  •   Georgios Karakasis
  •   Andreas Katsoulis
  •   Konstantinos Koukovinis
  •   Theofilos Triantafyllidis
  •   Luca Bertacca
  •   Paulius Giedraitis
  •   Matthew Agius
  •   Leonid Podlesnov
  •   Artiom Turta
  •   Jakub Bistuła
  •   Mateusz Gruszewski
  •   Bernardo Lopes
  •   Rúben Brilhante
  •   Rodrigo Pinhal
  •   Miguel Pintado
  •   Pedro Garcia Paredes
  •   Soleiman Batis El Asri
  •   William Garcia
  •   Erik Gustafsson
  •   William Palmén
  •   Glenn Hodel
  •   Mehmet Aşlamacı
  •   Serkan Banazlı
  •   Andrii Borsuk
  •   Andrii Nerush
  •   Andrii Pashko
  •   Maksym Voitok

1 goal

  •   Elchin Gasimov
  •   Fuad Huseynov
  •   Jomard Bakhshaliyev
  •   Kamran Gurbatov
  •   Artsemi Drozd
  •   Ivan Kanstantsinau
  •   Kanstantsin Mahaletski
  •   Pavel Staskevich
  •   Uladzimir Ustsinovich
  •   Tomáš Huráb
  •   Lukáš Karpíšek
  •   Jakub Pekárek
  •   Michal Salak
  •   Carl Oscar Wegeberg
  •   Priit Mäeorg
  •   Rasmus Munskind
  •   Rauno Nõmmiko
  •   Lucas Segura
  •   Peer Petry
  •   Michail Lympousis
  •   Dimitrios Paloumpis
  •   Ioannis Tsiakalos
  •   Leandro Casapieri
  •   Tommaso Fazzini
  •   Francesco Fabio Sciacca
  •   Gianmarco Genovali
  •   Alessandro Miceli
  •   Viktor Bartosevič
  •   Dylan Caruana
  •   Nicolae Ignat
  •   Ruslan Istrati
  •   Serghei Schițenco
  •   Alexandru Sîrghi
  •   Krenar Badivuku
  •   Pak Ling Li
  •   Grzegorz Brochocki
  •   Arkadiusz Kłopeć
  •   Mateusz Lisowski
  •   Lukasz Stanislaw Los
  •   Artur Popławski
  •   Ziober Witold
  •   Elinton Andrade
  •   Bruno Torres
  •   Antonio José Mayor Hernández
  •   Jose Manuel Arias
  •   Fransisco Dona
  •   Fernando Guisado Pérez
  •   Sebastian Hjerpebo
  •   Nils Lavah
  •   Filip Malmström
  •   Gabriel Caldas
  •   Silvano Kessler
  •   Eliott Mounoud
  •   Patrick Rüttimann
  •   Sandro Spaccarotella
  •   Dejan Stankovic
  •   Efe Lorenzo Deniz
  •   Emrah Ekmekçi
  •   İsmail Turhan
  •   Yasin Bağcı
  •   Volkan Yeşilırmak
  •   Ihor Levchenko
  •   Oleksandr Poslavskyi
  •   Dmytro Voitenko
  •   Yaroslav Zavorotnyi

1 own goal

  •   Vadzim Bokach (against Switzerland)
  •   David Radosta (against Malta)
  •   Lukas Frandsen (against Switzerland)
  •   Rauno Nõmmiko (against Turkey)
  •   Anthony Fayos (against Portugal)
  •   Christian Biermann (against Greece)
  •   Alessandro Miceli (against Azerbaijan)
  •   Audrius Plytnikas (against Spain)
  •   Fernando Guisado Pérez (against Ukraine)
  •   Oliver Santiago (against Poland)
  •   Recep Demir (against Belarus)

Qualified teams to the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup edit

The following four teams from UEFA qualify for the 2023 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup.

Team Qualified on Previous appearances in FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup1
only FIFA era (since 2005)
  Belarus 9 July 2023 2 (2019, 2021)
  Portugal 9 July 2023 10 (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021)
  Ukraine2 9 July 2023 3 (2005, 2011, 2013)
  Italy 9 July 2023 8 (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2015, 2017, 2019)
  Spain2 27 September 2023 8 (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2013, 2015, 2021)

1 Bold indicates champions for that year. Italic indicates hosts for that year. 2 Ukraine originally qualified. However, on 27 September 2023, it was announced that the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine had refused to sanction the Ukrainian national team's participation in the tournament, in protest at the Belarus national team being allowed to compete, whom it believes should be barred from entering due the country's role in the Russian invasion of Ukraine.[8] Ukraine previously qualified for, but also boycotted the 2021 World Cup due to its venue being in Russia.[9][10] They were replaced by Spain, who statistically finished in fifth place in the UEFA qualifiers[11] and therefore enter as lucky losers.

References edit

  1. ^ "FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2023 qualification schedule". FIFA. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
  2. ^ "European Pre-Qualifier – FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2023". Retrieved 3 May 2023.
  3. ^ "FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2023 – Qualifier Europe 2023". Retrieved 3 May 2023.
  4. ^ "Everything you need to know about the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup". Retrieved 28 May 2023.
  5. ^ "Everything you need to know about the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup". Retrieved 28 May 2023.
  6. ^ "beachsoccer.com". Retrieved 3 June 2023.
  7. ^ "FBSWC European Qualifier draw held". 15 June 2023.
  8. ^ "The men's beach soccer team of Ukraine will not play at the 2024 World Cup in the UAE". Ukrainian Association of Football. 27 September 2023. Retrieved 28 September 2023.
  9. ^ "Switzerland to replace Ukraine at FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Russia 2021". FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 6 July 2021. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
  10. ^ ""Грати, щоб звучав наш гімн": відомий український тренер виступив проти бойкоту пляжного ЧС у Москві". TSN.ua (in Ukrainian). 6 July 2021. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
  11. ^ "FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup UAE 2024 - Baku European Qualifier". Beach Soccer Worldwide. Retrieved 4 October 2023.